If you carry a cane, what age are you?

[Neener79]

I'm in my late 20's, and I've had a prior ankle injury. I work security, so obviously I can get around pretty good. however, I'm interested in the idea of carrying a cane for a weapon, but I'm not sure if it would look odd with a younger-ish guy carrying one.

So, if some good people don't mind revealing their age in an anonymous poll....

If you carry a cane, what age are you? I'm just trying to figure out if this is something older folks do, or if this is spread out over the various age groups.

Thanks!

 

[LHRGunslinger]

I"m 21 and every now and again I wander around my less than nice neighborhood with a cane. I just fake a mild limp so no questions are asked.

 

[Valkman]

54, and I use a cane every now and then.

 

[dvcrsn]

Neener--I started carrying a heavy walking stick mid 30s when I was catching a bus to South Central L A--but what helps is that I have a service related bad knee

 

[bikerdoc]

62 next week, Started at 56 with neck and back surgery, hip problems, arthritis etc...

But I am still handsome, charming, and rich, and have been told a million times not to exagerate.

 

[Joe Demko]

48. I've used one on and off, mostly off, since my mid-30's. I have a damaged knee and arthritis. Once in a while, the knee comes apart on me and it takes a few days of wearing a knee brace and using a cane while it stabilizes. Other times, the arthritis will get the better of me and I'll use a stick for a while.
If you are going to do this, opt for a plain crook headed cane that looks like a therapeutic cane. Eschew knob heads, especially ones shaped like skulls, sword canes, etc. I'd also recommend not striding jauntily along happily brandishing the cane or with it tucked under your arm, but that's just my opinion. The guy who walks with a cane like he actually uses it for support gets little attention.

 

[steven58]

I'm 51 but in decent shape. I have carried a stock cane on several overseas trips. While they are no doubt the best non weapon weapon you can carry I have found there are some drawbacks that make them my second choice.

The only negatives of using a cane is it seems more people notice / look at me than when I don't carry it. This may be because I have no overt medical need for one. Also, on public transportation people jump up to offer me their seat.

I prefer to blend into the background so I carry canes less often. I prefer to carry a compact 200 lumen flashlight and a stout pen if in a "no weapon zone"

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Not Yet

I don't carry a cane.

Yet.

I'm 60, and beginning to feel the ravages of time and mileage, but none of that has reached the parts that do the standing and walking. Well, that may not be entirely true; I'll find out more when I get to the walking/jogging part of my grand plan for discarding some 40+ lbs, but I don't have any trouble with stairs and stuff, and I can stand for hours if need be.

Hands . . . that's a different deal. Arthritis is beginning to take hold there. It has changed the way I evaluate knives and stuff that require any kind of grip. I went from preferring a small, slim EDC to preferring something with a stouter handle (like the EKA Swede 88).

While I don't use a cane, I do have an umbrella. It rides in the car when the weather looks funky, and we get plenty of marginal weather up here.

There is a kind of "American" attitude towards umbrellas that gets you funny looks if you carry one in good weather. When I was in England, it didn't matter what the weather was right now. If it was July, sunny, and 85 degrees, and you were seen on the street with a brolly, it was simply "prudent," while here in the USA it's "paranoid," bordering on "weird."

But for at least eight months up in the Northwest, having a bumbershoot close at hand isn't really a big deal.

If what's bothering my hands should move to my knees or ankles, I'll be cane shopping.

 

[Rail Driver]

I keep a cane handy, especially when flying. It's one of the few things they can't take from you. See? We CAN use the disgusting litigiousness of our society against those that would oppress us!

I'm 28 on Sunday. I do have some knee damage, but not enough to really bother me unless I try to run.

 

[hso]

A better question would have been, "When did you start carrying a cane"?

I'm 53 now and I started carrying a cane about 20 years ago.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I hurt my ankle in HS and it was fine until I messed it up at 32 playing Basketball. I used a cane off and on since. I work out and I use it after long trips since my ankle stiffens up and takes about a 1/2 to lossen up. I always carry one at night and like some others I have been offered seats and the other night at the Wal-Mart a Manager called me over and opened up a register since they only had 1 open at 10 pm at night.

 

[Carl Levitian]

I'm an old fart now, but I had a serious injury to my right ankle and foot while on active duty with the army. I was in my 20's at the time, and I needed a cane at that time. I got to a point in my 30's where the service injury didn't bother me too much, but still needed a cane for standing and walking around a lot, so in effect I've been on a cane for most of my life.

When I was in my late 20's and I used a walking stick, sometimes people would ask, and I'd just tell them it was a service injury. I noticed that even though I was a little self conscious over using a cane at that young an age, that after a while people didn't ask anymore, and it just became part of my persona. Vietnam was just winding down at that point, so there were other young men on canes around. When I went back to school under the GI bill, I used an Irish Blackthorn stick instead of an old fogy style cane, as I was a bit vain, but it didn't seem to make a difference. And this was a local liberal community college in the 70's. If anything, I got compliments on the nice looking stick, and I think some people thought I was just being eccentrically stylish, not having a clue to the effectiveness of a stick. Only very once in a while somebody would make a joke about what a head knocker my blackthorn stick would make.

These days, I still carry a rustic walking stick instead of the old fogy crook top cane, but nobody says anything. Of course by now I have white chin whiskers, so it may look more natural. But I have noticed that down at the V.A hospital where I go for my health care, I am seeing a lot of young vets from Iraq and Afghanistan on canes because of injuries, sometimes getting used to their new prosthetics.

I think as a young man, you can get away with carrying a nice walking stick with no problem, if you act normal and don't act like it's anything special. If someone does ask, just tell them it's an old soccer/football/running injury, and after a while people who know you will not even notice the stick anymore. It just becomes part of your persona. Really. Just be casual.

I now have a small collection of both Irish Blackthorns and the rustic hornbeam sticks I make for myself. I've carried them right onto airlines, into schools, and other restricted places that have a no weapons policy. A cane is a great weapon in plain sight, go for it.

Good luck.

 

[jahwarrior]

i'm 37; i started walking with a cane, for a few reasons.

reason #1: i'm currently prohibited from owning or carrying a firearm, for another 10 months. i'm pretty much restricted to knives, and non-lethal tools, for self defense. knives in PA are a dicey proposition; the only type clearly legal for carry are balisongs, but i don't trust the average LEO to know that. canes are a good compromise.

reason #2: every single injury i've ever suffered in my life has come back to remind me. "hey, Alex, remember me? i'm that dislocated hip you got when you were 16, trying to land that kickflip-to-backslide railslide." or, "hey, buddy, how've you been? it's me, that header you took out of that second story window at Amanda's party. thank G*D for hedges, huh? that was some party."

i wake up feeling every last one of them now. some days, my knees/hips/ankles just don't want to cooperate with me.

 

[thunder173]

The first time I used one was when I was 18,..at Bragg,..following a bad landing fall. Have used one off and on since about age 40,.....pushing 60 now.....still use occasionally when "arthur" comes to visit with a vengeance.

 

[glistam]

I'm one of the younger cane users. Don't like mentioning my exact age but I'm under 35. I have absolutely no physical disability. However, the cane to me is nothing more than a short hiking pole. I've been walking with a stick of some sort on walks and hikes since I was fully ambulatory. It was always just natural to me; I was a boy scout and my father was an avid outdoorsman. Even my current cane is used to be longer, coming up to my shoulder, and I cut it down when I moved to a more urban area.

 

[BravoSierra]

I started walking with a cane full-time last year due to compressed discs (yes, plural). I am in my mid-30s. Prior to that, I carried one sporadically in previous 3-year period during my self-defense training. My instructor is a huge cane proponent.

The elephant-size stock cane (properly modified) has been my favorite. If you do get into making/modifying your own canes and walking sticks, be careful. It's addictive. I have two hanging in the back room now to dry the tung oil. Those are just the latest experiments.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I carried one when I was 22. But I was in a rather nasty motorcycle accident. I had a broken femur, among many other injuries. By the time I was walking %100 again, I was 23.

Yes, people look at a young guy with a cane suspiciously. I got the strangest looks at the lake. I'd walk out to the end of the shared private pier, pound a nail into the post, hang my cane on it, fall into the water and take off riding jet skis. I also got hassled at a night club over my cane (though those days are long gone, now). Granted, I was a young and dumb. I forgot about the warnings not to mix certain things, proceeded to dance with two friends, one of which was a real sweetheart and she held my cane for me. The bouncer almost took it. I paid for it over the next three days when I could barely walk at all.

I can tell you now, after actually needing crutches and canes...you will not catch me using either. Well, unless my only option is to crawl on my belly dragging myself with my front paws. But other than that, never again. But that's just me, YMMV. I'm just saying yes, you will get a few strange looks as a young guy with a cane.

 

[Jimmy10mm]

If you need one you won't worry about what people think when they see you with one regardless of age. I was in my early 50s when a knee injury required a cane for me to get around. Fortunately for me this only lasted for a few weeks and in the 10 years since I've done a lot of exercise to strengthen the legs and haven't needed one.

A friend has a really nice one with a dagger that pulls out and could certainly be used as a defensive weapon .... or offensive for that matter. I still have my old one from the time of the injury but haven't needed to use it since.

 

[Digger Odell]

I have had the need to use a cane for the past five years due to an injury. I am a little long of tooth, but before this I could jog or walk very fast for a mile or more. Since the injury my right leg will just fold up without any warning.
I was going to the hospital daily for therapy, using the elevator. One day I got on & there were 2 men who passed me a short while earlier & the hair stood up on my neck. Nothing happened, but since then I run different scenarios going to parking lot etc. Just how my cane can & would be useful. Good protection when you can't carry. (hospital).... They make a great lighting bolt!!
Digger.

 

[Cosmoline]

Blew out my left knee about four years ago thanks to a bad patch of ice and a big dog in a hurry to get to his stick throwing ground. It still acts up from time to time. I use a telescoping walking stick that can be shrunk down to cane size if needed.

I see a lot of guys limping around without canes, and I think there's some element of machismo involved. At some point you just have to realize that some injuries never really heal, and if you want to get out and exercise you're going to have to make accommodations. I've had a few comments about it over the years just because canes are out of style around the west coast of the US. I figure I'm just ahead of the style curve. When some aging Hollywood stars start using them, everyone will want one.

 

[Joe Demko]

I've only been made fun of once for using a cane. Amusingly, I was mocked for the cane's lack of style rather than for needing it for support.

 

[Carl Levitian]

When some aging Hollywood stars start using them, everyone will want one.
__________________


I've received a few comments about "House."

I try to tell them Hugh Laurie is copying my style.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I'm 42 and occasionally use one if my back is acting up. I also use it out in the woods as a walking stick. I've never had anyone look at me funny but I have had people open doors for me while carrying it.

 

[Hammerson]

I am 45, but I inherited arthritis in my knees. Back as far as my High School days my knees would "crack" when I knelt down...made all my friends wince.
Most days I don't need it a cane but the days I do its pretty miserable.

BravoSierra is correct: crafting/customizing your own sticks can get habit-forming in a hurry! It is fun though.

 

[Erich]

I'm 44 but started with the cane when I was 16 after a car wreck. My hip is still goofy sometimes with the weather, so I carry a cane on extended hikes or when I'll be forced to move slowly (as in crowds, lines, etc.). Have a doctor's note and everything, but haven't had to show it. (I also have one leg shorter than the other from the wreck and still walk with a noticeable limp.)